Solving multi-criteria decision problems under possibilistic uncertainty using optimistic and pessimistic utilities

International audienceThis paper proposes a qualitative approach to solve multi-criteria decision making problems under possibilistic uncertainty. De-pending on the decision maker attitude with respect to uncertainty (i.e. optimistic or pessimistic) and on her attitude with respect to criteria (i.e. conjunctive or disjunctive), four ex-ante and four ex-post decision rules are dened and investigated. In particular, their coherence w.r.t. the principle of monotonicity, that allows Dynamic Programming is studied

An isochromosome confers drug resistance in vivo by amplification of two genes, ERG11 and TAC1

Acquired azole resistance is a serious clinical problem that is often associated with the appearance of aneuploidy and, in particular, with the formation of an isochromosome [i(5L)] in the fungal opportunist Candida albicans. Here we exploited a series of isolates from an individual patient during the rapid acquisition of fluconazole resistance (FluR). Comparative genome hybridization arrays revealed that the presence of two extra copies of Chr5L, on the isochromosome, conferred increased FluR and that partial truncation of Chr5L reduced FluR. In vitro analysis of the strains by telomere-mediated truncations and by gene deletion assessed the contribution of all Chr5L genes and of four specific genes. Importantly, ERG11 (encoding the drug target) and a hyperactive allele of TAC1 (encoding a transcriptional regulator of drug efflux pumps) made independent, additive contributions to FluR in a gene copy number-dependent manner that was not different from the contributions of the entire Chr5L arm. Thus, the major mechanism by which i(5L) formation causes increased azole resistance is by amplifying two genes: ERG11 and TAC1. © 2008 The Authors

A Choquet Integral Based Assessment Model of Projects of Urban Neglected Areas: a Case of Study

This paper describes a multi-criteria evaluation model to support decisions related to the redevelopment of urban residual areas, a central theme in planning practices. Renewal projects on urban or neighborhood scale are complex problems because of the social, economic and environmental implications generated on the different categories of stakeholders. In the awareness of the specific characteristics of each city, the cognitive and evaluation model is especially defined for a given urban context, although it is easily adaptable to different urban ones. In order to take into account the interactions among the criteria by which we compare design alternatives, the Choquet integral is implemented as aggregation function. The model applies to some alternative projects for the redevelopment of a residual urban area in Agrigento (Italy). It can be employed usefully by the local government to choose the better alternative project in pursuing the policy objectives or build new ones